2020–21 CAF Champions League

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2020–21 CAF Champions League
2020–21
Mohamed Sherif (6 goals)

The 2020–21 CAF Champions League (officially the 2020–21 Total CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the 57th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 25th edition under the current CAF Champions League

title.

final, which was played at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca
, Morocco, winning their record-extending tenth and second consecutive title.

As the winners of the 2020–21 CAF Champions League, Al Ahly represented Africa in the

2021–22 CAF Super Cup.[2]

Association team allocation

All 56 CAF member associations may enter the CAF Champions League, with the 12 highest ranked associations according to their CAF 5-year ranking eligible to enter two teams in the competition.[2] As a result, theoretically a maximum of 68 teams could enter the tournament – although this level has never been reached.

For the 2020–21 CAF Champions League, the CAF uses the 2016–2020 CAF 5-year ranking, which calculates points for each entrant association based on their clubs’ performance over those 5 years in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. The criteria for points are the following:[3][4][5]

CAF Champions League CAF Confederation Cup
Winners 6 points 5 points
Runners-up 5 points 4 points
Losing semi-finalists 4 points 3 points
Losing quarter-finalists (from 2017) 3 points 2 points
3rd place in groups 2 points 1 point
4th place in groups 1 point 0.5 point

The points are multiplied by a coefficient according to the year as follows:

  • 2019–20: × 5
  • 2018–19: × 4
  • 2018: × 3
  • 2017: × 2
  • 2016: × 1

Teams

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, associations may abandon their domestic competitions and select the representatives in CAF club competitions.[6] Associations may register their representatives during the engagement window between 1 September and 20 October 2020. All engaged teams must respect the Club Licensing procedure and cooperate with their respective Associations, as non-licensed clubs would be refused participation.[7]

The following 54 teams from 42 associations entered the competition.

Associations are shown according to their 2016–2020 CAF 5-year ranking – those with a ranking score have their rank and score (in parentheses) indicated.

Associations eligible to enter two teams (Top 12 associations)
Association Rank (Pts) Team Qualifying method
 Morocco 1 (190) Raja Casablanca 2019–20 Botola champions
Wydad AC 2019–20 Botola runners-up
 Egypt 2 (167) Al Ahly Title holders (2019–20 CAF Champions League winners)
2019–20 Egyptian Premier League champions
Zamalek 2019–20 Egyptian Premier League runners-up
 Tunisia 3 (140) Espérance de Tunis 2019–20 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champions
CS Sfaxien 2019–20 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runners-up
 DR Congo 4 (83) TP Mazembe 2019–20 Linafoot champions[Note COD]
AS Vita Club 2019–20 Linafoot runners-up[Note COD]
 Algeria 5 (81) CR Belouizdad 2019–20 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 champions[Note ALG]
MC Alger 2019–20 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 runners-up[Note ALG]
 South Africa 6 (68.5) Mamelodi Sundowns 2019–20 South African Premier Division champions
Kaizer Chiefs 2019–20 South African Premier Division runners-up
 Zambia 7 (43) Nkana
2019–20 Zambian Super League
champions
Forest Rangers
2019–20 Zambian Super League
runners-up
 Nigeria 8 (39)
Plateau United
 2019–20 Nigeria Professional Football League first place at time of abandonment[Note NGA]
Enyimba 2019–20 Nigeria Professional Football League second place at time of abandonment[Note NGA]
 Guinea 9 (38) Horoya
2019–20 Guinée Championnat National first place after 13 rounds[Note GUI]
Ashanti de Siguiri
2019–20 Guinée Championnat National second place after 13 rounds[Note GUI]
 Angola 10 (36) Petro de Luanda 2019–20 Girabola first place at time of abandonment[Note ANG]
1º de Agosto 2019–20 Girabola second place at time of abandonment[Note ANG]
 Sudan 11 (29.5) Al Merrikh 2019–20 Sudan Premier League champions
Al Hilal 2019–20 Sudan Premier League runners-up
 Libya 12 (16.5) Al Nasr 2017–18 Libyan Premier League champions[Note LBY]
Al Ahly Benghazi 2017–18 Libyan Premier League runners-up[Note LBY]
Associations eligible to enter one team
Association Rank (Pts) Team Qualifying method
 Tanzania 13 (14) Simba 2019–20 Tanzanian Premier League champions
 Ivory Coast 14 (13)
RC Abidjan
 2019–20 Côte d'Ivoire Ligue 1 champions[Note CIV]
 Kenya 15 (11) Gor Mahia 2019–20 Kenyan Premier League champions[Note KEN]
 Zimbabwe 15 (11) FC Platinum 2019 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champions
 Mozambique 17 (9) Costa do Sol 2019 Moçambola champions
 Congo 18 (8) AS Otohô 2019–20 Congo Ligue 1 champions[Note CGO]
 Uganda 18 (8) Vipers 2019–20 Uganda Premier League champions[Note UGA]
 Ghana 20 (6.5) Asante Kotoko 2019 GFA Normalization Committee Special Competition Tier 1 winners[Note GHA]
 Mali 20 (6.5) Stade Malien 2019–20 Malian Première Division champions
 Rwanda 22 (6) APR 2019–20 Rwanda Premier League champions[Note RWA]
 Eswatini 23 (5) Young Buffaloes
2019–20 Eswatini Premier League champions[Note SWZ]
 Ethiopia 24 (4) Mekelle 70 Enderta 2018–19 Ethiopian Premier League champions[Note ETH]
 Botswana 25 (3) Jwaneng Galaxy 2019–20 Botswana Premier League champions[Note BOT]
 Togo 25 (3) ASKO Kara 2019–20 Togolese Championnat National champions[Note TOG]
 Benin 27 (2.5)
Buffles du Borgou
 2018–19 Benin Premier League champions[Note BEN]
 Mauritania 27 (2.5) FC Nouadhibou 2019–20 Ligue 1 Mauritania champions
 Burkina Faso 29 (2) Rahimo 2018–19 Burkinabé Premier League champions[Note BFA]
 Cameroon 29 (2) PWD Bamenda 2019–20 Elite One champions[Note CMR]
 Gabon 31 (1) AS Bouenguidi 2019–20 Gabon Championnat National D1 Group A first place at time of abandonment[Note GAB]
 Burundi —
Le Messager Ngozi
2019–20 Burundi Premier League
champions
 Chad — Gazelle 2020 Chad Premier League champions
 Comoros — US Zilimadjou 2020 Comoros Premier League champions
 Djibouti — GR/SIAF 2019–20 Djibouti Premier League champions
 Equatorial Guinea — Akonangui 2019–20 Equatoguinean Primera División Región Continental first place at time of abandonment[Note EQG]
 Gambia — Gambia Armed Forces 2019–20 GFA League First Division second place at time of abandonment[Note GAM]
 Lesotho — Bantu 2019–20 Lesotho Premier League champions[Note LES]
 Niger — AS SONIDEP
2018–19 Niger Premier League champions[Note NIG]
 Senegal — Teungueth 2019–20 Senegal Premier League first place at time of abandonment[Note SEN]
 Somalia — Mogadishu City 2019–20 Somali First Division champions
 
Zanzibar
 		— Mlandege 2019–20 Zanzibar Premier League champions
Associations which did not enter a team
Notes
  1. ^
    Algeria (ALG): The 2019–20 Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 was abandoned by the Algerian Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria. CR Belouizdad, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, and MC Alger, who were at second place (by points per game), will represent Algeria in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[8]
  2. ^
    Angola (ANG): The 2019–20 Girabola was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Angolan Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Angola. Petro de Luanda and 1º de Agosto, who were at first and second place at the time of abandonment, will represent Angola in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[9]
  3. Buffles du Borgou, who were the 2018–19 Benin Premier League champions, will represent Benin in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[10]
  • ^
    Botswana (BOT): The 2019–20 Botswana Premier League was abandoned by the Botswana Football Association due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana. Jwaneng Galaxy, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, will represent Botswana in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[11]
  • ^
    Burkina Faso (BFA): The 2019–20 Burkinabé Premier League was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Burkinabé Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Burkina Faso. Rahimo, who were the 2018–19 Burkinabé Premier League champions, will represent Burkina Faso in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[12]
  • ^
    Cameroon (CMR): The 2019–20 Elite One was abandoned by the Cameroonian Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon. PWD Bamenda, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, will represent Cameroon in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[13]
  • ^
    Cape Verde (CPV): The 2020 Cape Verdean Football Championships was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Cape Verdean Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Cape Verde. No team will represent Cape Verde in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[14]
  • ^
    Central African Republic (CTA): The 2019–20 Central African Republic League was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Central African Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Central African Republic. No team will represent the Central African Republic in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[15]
  • ^
    Congo (CGO): The 2019–20 Congo Ligue 1 was abandoned by the Congolese Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Congo. AS Otohô, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions (they were already assured of the title by then), will represent Congo in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[16]
  • ^
    DR Congo (COD): The 2019–20 Linafoot was abandoned by the Congolese Association Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in DR Congo. TP Mazembe, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, and AS Vita Club, who were at second place, will represent DR Congo in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[17]
  • ^
    Equatorial Guinea (EQG): The 2019–20 Equatoguinean Primera División was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Equatoguinean Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Equatorial Guinea. Akonangui, who were at Región Continental first place (better ranked first place between two regions) at the time of abandonment, will represent Equatorial Guinea in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[18]
  • 2019–20 Eswatini Premier League was abandoned by the Eswatini Football Association due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini. Young Buffaloes, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, will represent Eswatini in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[19]
  • ^
    Ethiopia (ETH): The 2019–20 Ethiopian Premier League was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Ethiopian Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. Mekelle 70 Enderta, who were the 2018–19 Ethiopian Premier League champions, will represent Ethiopia in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[20]
  • ^
    Gabon (GAB): The 2019–20 Gabon Championnat National D1 was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Gabonese Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Gabon. AS Bouenguidi, who were at Group A first place (better ranked first place between two groups) at the time of abandonment, will represent Gabon in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[21]
  • ^
    Gambia (GAM): The 2019–20 GFA League First Division was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Gambia Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gambia. Gambia Armed Forces, who were at second place at the time of abandonment, will represent Gambia in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League, since Real de Banjul, who were at first place at the time of abandonment, declined to enter.[22]
  • ^
    Ghana (GHA): The 2019–20 Ghana Premier League was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Ghana Football Association due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. Asante Kotoko, who were the 2019 GFA Normalization Committee Special Competition Tier 1 winners, will represent Ghana in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[23]
  • 2019–20 Guinée Championnat National was abandoned (season cancelled, title not awarded) by the Guinean Football Federation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea. Horoya and Ashanti de Siguiri, who were at first and second place after 13 rounds (last completed round at the time of abandonment), will represent Guinea in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[24]
  • Racing Club Abidjan, who were at first place at the time of abandonment (table considered final) and declared champions, will represent Ivory Coast in the 2020–21 CAF Champions League.[25]